Tomato & sweet corn salad with jalapeño dressing

When I was in Vermont last winter, I asked one of the locals about their maple syrup. I wondered whether there was a particular brand or type that she recommended.

The Vermont resident told me, “Well, all of the maple syrup is the same. So any brand will be fine. The only thing is – it has to be from Vermont. Otherwise, it’s just syrup.”

Her response made me smile, because growing up in Iowa, I had a maple tree in my backyard. There are maple syrup makers in our state too. (I bought some local maple cream recently that was just terrific.) I’d imagine those syrup-makers would disagree on whether or not they can call their product “maple syrup” or not.

However, coming from a small state, I totally get the Vermont local’s proprietary nature. People everywhere can be very opinionated about what makes their particular state or country special. Iowa is no different.

For example, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told the merits of Iowa’s black dirt. As compliments go, it’s a rather unglamorous one. The best you have is black dirt? It’s like saying, “Have you seen that woman’s wrinkly baby feet? I mean, wow!”

And if you tell an Iowan that you recently drove to Nebraska, they will say, “Oh, the terrain of Nebraska is so boring! In Iowa we have gentle rolling hills.” They always use those three words – gentle rolling hills. But here are the facts – the states look the same. Some parts of Iowa are hilly, other parts flatter. But if someone transported you in a blindfold and then dropped you off on a highway in Iowa or a highway in Nebraska, you really wouldn’t know the difference.

I even had an Iowa friend get in a heated argument with a Californian over which state held claim to the best corn. More than even their black dirt, Iowans are fierce about corn.

Iowa doesn’t have a Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, tall mountains, or oceanfront to draw tourism or acclaim. (There’s a reason that a truck stop is on the state’s “must see” list.) So watch your words when it comes to corn, dirt, college football, or the State Fair, because they will cut you. (Okay, they won’t cut you. But they will passive aggressively give you a disconcerting side eye.)

I’ve had corn from all over the country, and you know what it tastes like? Corn. Obviously fresh corn straight from the cob is the best, especially when it’s at its seasonal peak. When the kernels are juicy and plump, and they haven’t gotten starchy from sitting around too long, the flavor is incomparable. But the state where it was grown is irrelevant.

Tomato & sweet corn salad

That said, the sweet corn right now is pretty remarkable. Lately I’ve been enjoying it uncooked and straight from the cob in a tomato and sweet corn salad. While tomatoes are in all of their summer glory, this salad offers the best of the season. It is topped with pepitas for a nutty edge and drizzled with jalapeño dressing.

The salad dressing is a variation of my recent jalapeño cashew cheese spread. After making and re-making the cashew cheese in testing, I wanted to come up with some alternative uses. So I started taking a couple spoonfuls of the cheese, adding a splash of water to thin it, and then stirring it until it had the consistency of a ranch dressing. So if you already have the jalapeño cashew cheese in your refrigerator, feel free to go with that method. Otherwise, in the recipe below, I share how to make the dressing on its own, instead of making cheese first.

Even though the dressing has pickled jalapeño brine in it, it’s not overly hot. (My favorite pickled jalapeño brand is Jeff’s Naturals. Their jalapeños are slightly less spicy than other varieties, but all of the flavor is still there. Plus, the jalapeños themselves have a great crunch. I can’t abide a squishy jalapeño slice.)

The salad is wonderful as a summer side dish. But it also can be a meal all on its own with the addition of Creole-seasoned tofu squares. The tofu is really easy to prepare, and the whole salad can be ready in about fifteen minutes. To season the tofu, I have been using the Creole seasoning mix that I bought in North Carolina. However, if you have a favorite brand, feel free to use that instead. Spiciness levels vary. So if your brand is on the hot side, start with less seasoning and work up.

Make this tomato and sweet corn salad now while the produce is at its peak with corn from your favorite local grower. And if you’re ever planning a trip to Iowa, come in June when the fields are filled with fireflies. The corn won’t be knee high by then, but I think you’ll find it’s even more magical than the World’s Largest Truck Stop.

This tomato and sweet corn salad puts the best of the season on display. It is topped with pepitas for a nutty edge and drizzled with jalapeño dressing. To make this salad a meal, top it with Creole-seasoned tofu.

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Ingredients

For the salad

1 ear of corn, kernels cut off from the cob (roughly 1/2 cup of corn)

1 bunch spinach (5 - 6 ounces), roughly chopped

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

For the jalapeño dressing

3/4 cup raw cashew pieces

1/2 cup water (plus additional water for soaking if not using a high-speed blender)

Combine corn, spinach, tomato, and pepitas in a large salad bowl. Serve with jalapeño dressing for topping salads individually. If using, top each salad with Creole tofu just before serving, so that the hot tofu doesn't wilt the spinach.

To make the dressing

If not using a high speed blender, soak the cashews in water for several hours or overnight before making the dressing. That way the cashews will soften for easy blending into a perfectly creamy dressing. Drain the cashews and continue.

Add pickled jalapeño slices and blend for about 30 seconds, until the slices are broken down but not completely smooth.

Use the dressing right away or put into a covered container in the refrigerator for future use. Note that the dressing will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. So you may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to the dressing and stir if it's too thick to pour.

To make Creole seasoned tofu

Bring a non-stick skillet to a medium heat along with canola oil. Put tofu squares in the skillet and allow them to brown for a few minutes. Once the squares are brown on one side, flip them, and add 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning.

Brown the cubes for a few more minutes, flip again, and add the second teaspoon of Creole seasoning plus a grind of cracked black pepper. Continue flipping the tofu until it has browned on all sides, and then remove from heat.

Cuisine: Vegan |Recipe Type: Salad

Notes

*You can use water-packed tofu instead, but it will need to be drained and pressed first.

Comments

This looks great! I love corn in salads. It's so true how territorial states are! I feel like sports is the most sensitive of subjects when moving to a new state. Having lived in 4 states, I learned that the best way to remain stateless is not to affiliate with any teams!

Yes, people get very serious about sports, that's for sure. In LA, it was all about the Lakers. Since Iowa doesn't have any professional teams, people here get heated about college football. I graduated from one of the state schools, but I have no allegiances at all where sports are concerned. (I've never even been to a game - neither while in college nor out of it.) In fact, I find myself hiding a lot of people on FB during football season, because all of the ranting is just dull to me. :)

Yum! I love corn in salads, and the addition of that beautiful tofu is a great idea!
Memphis is that way about barbecue, which, as a vegan, means nothing to me. Ha! I've never actually even had Memphis barbecue since I went vegetarian in Arkansas at age 14. We used to drive to Memphis sometimes as a treat when I was a kid, but I don't remember us ever eating at a 'cue joint. Memphis also claims to have the best drinking water in the world because it comes from this ancient aquifer, and I'll say that, I've never had tap water anywhere else that tasted as good as the water in Memphis, so they might be right about that.
Interestingly, Memphians don't make many claims about Tennessee as a state though. That's probably because Memphians like to think of Memphis as a sort of independent island unto itself — not associated with the rest of the state. The culture is very different here than in the rest of the state. Memphis is more urban and progressive and has a rock n roll, hip-hop, & basketball culture, while the rest of the state is more rural and all about the country music and farming and stuff.

Corn is so great in salads! I've been doing it a lot this summer, and I plan on continuing until corn is out of season. I bet the tofu would be great with your Slap Ya Mama seasoning salt too; although, it would be hotter than the seasoning I use.
That is really interesting about Memphians making a big deal about their water! The way you describe it sounds delicious, so that makes a lot of sense. That's actually quite a boon to a town. Imagine how much you're saving on in-home purifiers or bottled water.
That's also fascinating how Memphis divides itself culturally from the rest of the state. I had no idea!

Your comment about the black dirt and wrinkly baby feet cracked me up!
I'm from NJ and we're proud of our Jersey shore (not the show, don't even bring the show up to NJ people they get so mad and might actually cut you lol) and some people in north Jersey are very proud of the Sopranos for some reason.
Your salad looks totally delicious - you had me a jalapeno. :)